News
Nominated
NOMINATED FOR GERMAN ANIMATION SCREENPLAY AWARD
This award aims to promote outstanding German-language screenplays for feature-length animated films. It is accompanied by 2,500 euros in prize money and will be awarded on April 27th by a jury consisting of members of the German film industry.
You’re certainly wondering why we have participated in a contest for animated films. The answer is: Due to the fantasy elements we indeed can imagine “The Dreamlands” to become a full animated feature or a film with animated sequences. Here in Stuttgart we are surrounded by internationally acclaimed animation and VFX studios. So it definitely makes sense to consider such alternative options.
We see the nomination as a recognition of the screenplay’s quality and as a strong sign regarding the progress this project has made so far.
Negotiations
Hi there! I catched a flu after Berlin, not feeling very well at the moment. But on dream level everything is still looking good. New screenplay raised very positive feedback so far, in Germany as well as abroad.
Next weeks will be dominated by negotiating contracts and agreements. In a way it’s like marrying, so everyone involved needs some time to be sure. We have set ourselves a deadline for May for all of this. Either we find us in a solid production structure till then with a clear path and strategy how to get this film fully funded or we will abandon this time-consuming ‘professional’ approach and go our own ways.
Thanks to everyone for holding on! I wish things would progress more quickly, but unfortunately that’s how the film industry works if you’re not a famous filmmaker yet.
In the meantime, please check out this crazy Lovecraft encyclopedia by a friend of mine which is currently in the making. A must-have for every Lovecraftian collector! Yes, it’s officially endorsed by me, so this means it is definitely possible to summon something by using this tome… (Do mind it’s in German though, the incarnations are hidden and you have to get all pronunciations absolutely right – you don’t want to end up like good ol’ Friedrich Wilhelm von Junzt, do you?)
Dream Castle
Anyone 15 million euros to spare? Castello di Sammezzano has been put up to auction!
After visiting our dream location back in October 2014 we came back with the information that we would have to act really quick, since renovation works to turn it into a luxurious hotel would start in spring 2015. But as you all know our strategy and timetable changed fundamentally when we received screenplay funding. Thus, we abandoned the idea to proceed.
Loose contact with the castle’s old administrator broke up during the last year. But now, thanks to a German blogger, we found out what happened: British-Italian investment fond owning the estate has filed bankruptcy and was forced to put it up to auction. First two auctions in autumn failed. Now the price tag has been lowered from 22 to 15 million euros for the third attempt this month.
We will keep our eyes on this.
No one forgets it
Today marks the 5th anniversary of our last film “Die Farbe”! We’re super proud to see that still people are discovering our little strange film and we’re glad to still receive media coverage from time to time.
Wow, haven’t checked reviews at amazon.com for almost a year – many of the comments are really touching to read for us as filmmakers. That’s why we’re here, doing what we do. For you. The audience. The audience that understands.
Shooting “Die Farbe” is already 7 years ago – it’s definitely time to make a new one! Let’s hope that damned screenplay is going to be finished soon… ;-)
Happy 125th birthday
Happy 125th birthday Mr. Lovecraft! To the Great Dreamer, may he live forever thanks to us – I can see him riding through the valleys of Ooth-Nargai, sailing on white ships to distant shores, blissfully watching his ever-growing kingdom.
Here are two pictures we took when we passed by in Providence after Frontières in Montréal:
We also visited Marblehead north of Boston – Lovecraft adored this cozy harbour town and it served him as inspiration for Kingsport.
Greetings to all you Lovecraft fans out there – especially those who are celebrating in Providence today with a big invocation! ;)
In other news:
Braunschweig International Filmfestival is going to celebrate the 125th birthday by screening 3 Lovecraftian feature films, including our “Die Farbe”, and 14 short films on November 6th and 7th. Huan Vu will attend and give the audience a small glimpse into the future regarding “The Dreamlands”.
http://www.filmfest-braunschweig.de/pressenews/pressenews-artikel/filmfestival-braunschweig-zeigt-werkschau-zu-hp-lovecraft/
Montréal
Quick round-up since there is a lot of work to do right now:
Frontières was great for us – four days full of 20 minute meetings brought us a lot of new business acquaintances. Everyone is waiting for the new screenplay draft now, among them some bigger names. So let’s do this!
In Montréal the sky is the limit
Our speed dating desk
More posters than everyone else!
Wrap-up took us a whole day, but it was raining anyway
When I got this can I was like ‘You gotta be kidding me?’
Invitations
Rejoice! We have been selected for the “Frontières” genre co-production market during Fantasia International Film Festival in Montréal – which is one of the biggest genre film festivals in the world:
> FRONTIÈRES INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTION MARKET
And we also have been invited to the European Genre Forum at Fantastic Zagreb – many thanks to the organizers and also to the Goethe-Institut Kroatien!
> FANTASTIC ZAGREB: FIRST EUROPEAN GENRE FORUM
“The main goal of this international project is to connect young and upcoming as well as already proven European film talents, producers, directors, screenwriters and others I.E. development, promotion and financial support of film, television and web projects with a strong European and regional focus as well as international co-productions beyond European framework through cooperation with European film funds, national film centres, production studios etc.”